The present invention relates in general to cup holders for use in automobiles, theaters, and other seating areas, and, more specifically, to a stowable cup holder that occupies very little space and can be deployed outward from a vertical panel.
Readily accessible and plentiful cup holders are desired by users of vehicles and other seating environments such as theaters and stadiums In some locations such as the rear seats of a vehicle passenger compartment, the locations for placing a conventional cup holder have been very limited due to the absence of horizontal surfaces and the lack of depth behind the available vertical surfaces (such as the trim surface of a side door or the back surface of the front passenger seats or console). Due to the limited area and the potential interference of a cup holder with a passenger's movements into or out of their seat (especially for a rear seat passenger), it is also desirable to make the cup holder stowable into the door panel or other vertical surface.
Many prior attempts to package cup holders in these locations have produced flimsy cup holders which lack structural integrity, are difficult to use, and are difficult to clean. It would be desirable to provide a cup holder that efficiently uses the limited packaging space available, has good mechanical strength, and is removable for cleaning.